“Shopa—“
She held up a hand and cut him off.
He snapped his mouth closed.
“I’m… not angry anymore. Or, not with you, and not with the Boss. I just came to tell you that, and to offer you an apology of my own. I should not have taken my frustration out on you.”
“You have… figured out where your frustrations came from?” He asked, careful to keep his words neutral.
She sat beside him and leaned into his side. The ball in his chest eased and he sucked in a deep breath as he wrapped an arm around her. “I was feeling used, but more than that, like Felix was being used. I didn’t like it. I still don’t. But I’ve talked to him, and he reassured me once more that he was ‘fine,’ so I have decided to take him at his word.”
What had his mother once told him? “Sometimes men are simple creatures,” he offered.
Blue snorted. “Simple my ass. You all are the most complicated, contradictory bunch—“
He cut her off with a kiss. He’d missed those lips of hers. Three days. Three days of nothing but cautious touches. Even though she had not kicked him from her bed or cried fuck-topus as she threatened, neither was she as affectionate as he’d grown used to.
When they pulled apart, she smiled up at him with that wicked glint in her eye. “I’ll say one more thing and then we can move to the rest of the ‘making up’ part of this evening’s agenda. I…” Blue swallowed.
He wanted to tell her that whatever she needed to say could wait. Heat moved through him. In his mind, he pulled her close and covered her mouth once more. He stripped her practice uniform off, and kissed his way down to—
“Just as you sometimes have trouble balancing things between your role as an order agent and as my First Priden, I think I have trouble balancing things as the shopa and as a probationary agent. The Boss, though I don’t particularly like him, had some good points. I’m not in charge of things when it comes to assignments from the Order. You are, or Felix. I have some authority with us as a family, but not on the job. I was confusing them.”
He let her words wash over him, not paying them his full attention. He loved her lips. The way they pursed when she thought or was annoyed, the way they stretched into smiles. The way they parted for him when he…
“Mo’ata? Honey buns?”
The new nickname brought him back to himself. “Yes? Oh, yes, you are correct, my shopa.”
Her brows rose. “Did you even listen to me?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“And you are correct. We will do things just as you said.”
Her brows fell and then drew together.
This was starting to be fun. Yes, he’d only been half listening, but he had heard what she said. She deserved some teasing for the way she’d been acting, though.
“What did I say?”
He picked up her hand and played with her fingers. She was gaining calluses from her work with the blades. “That I am in charge. You are correct, I am.”
She opened her mouth to protest, then stopped. The wicked glint came back.
Had she caught on to his teasing?
“Well, honey buns, if you’re in charge, then what do we do next?”
“I’ll show you.”
And once more the clansman pulled his shopa into his arms and proceeded to kiss the remaining thoughts from both their heads.
Chapter 16
BLUE
She fidgeted as they stood in line at the Ministry’s Karran to Cularna transportation station. A trail of people and luggage wound through the cavernous space, waiting in cordoned off aisles, like a futuristic version of the airport security line. They were actually on Level Two of the Ministry’s Transportation Division, one thick wall away from her usual practice room.
Beast stomped a hoof on the concrete tiled floor and the thud rang through the room. Travelers and workers alike glared at her.
“Stop that,” she hissed at the demon-mount. “You wanted to come, so we’re taking you, but it’s not too late for me to change my mind and send you right back home.”
Beast crowded against her, sending her deeper into the wall of men who stood behind her. Mo’ata caught her by the shoulders. After giving him a grateful smile, she straightened, slapped Beast’s shoulder, and sent an apologetic look at the other travelers around her.
Garfield and Vivi grumble-chirped at Beast. They were behaving, even if they had been forced into their harnesses once again.
Her cub-baby gave one last chirp, then circled and rubbed against her leg. Pack good now.
Yes, pack good now.
The occasional rush of anger would hit her, but she could push it aside now. She just had to remind herself to believe Felix when he said he was fine, and that “partners” as part of a prida was different from “partners” as an agent of the Order—especially because she was a probationary agent subject to a chain of command. The Boss had been correct, she had a lot to learn, and even more growing up to do.
Pulling at the sleeves of her flowing blouse, she mentally reviewed the plan for the next few days. Arrive on Cularna. Shuttle to the Audal family home. Meet the parents, and siblings, and old family friends. Cause a ruckus. Engage in general hijinx. Figure out what made Felix’s father tick, win over the family.
The latter parts were more goals than a plan. They were going to have to adjust as things went and information was gathered.
“Tell me about your family again,” she asked Felix. He, like the other men, was also dressed in casual garb. All their armor was packed away in the luggage. As Felix explained, if he were dressed as a mercenary, it would indicate he was on duty, or available for hire. Since this was a “vacation,” it wouldn’t be appropriate. She would have felt better if they were all wearing some concealed armor at the least.
Blue tugged at the waist-cincher both Felix and the shop woman had insisted she needed. Apparently the pseudo-corset was all the current rage in Cularna, and Blue needed to look the part of a fashionable young woman.
At least they let me wear pants. In fact, she felt like a pirate—boots, slim fitting pants, flowing shirt, and waist-cincher. I belong at a damned renaissance festival. Maybe if I act like a pirate…
“Does your dad like pirates?”
Felix grinned down at her. “Not particularly.”
“Oh.”
“I have been thinking on your question, pet. About what my father considers strength. He is a… rigid man, though not unreasonable. But he has an idea of what a life should be like, what a man should be like, and the life I currently lead is not it.”
They shuffled forward a few more feet. The other men were quiet. “That doesn’t sound promising,” she said, though she knew all this already.
“But, he once told me a story of a man he knew, a freelancer, what we call the soldiers who like to hire themselves out without going through the guild. It was a passing comment. The man had saved a transport full of children that had malfunctioned.” Felix picked up their packs and shoved them forward as the line moved once more. “Father was grumbling about how the man had wasted himself on a useless life. I asked him if the children he saved would think so. I was twelve.” Felix grinned. “He called me an insolent kid, then conceded I had a point. He offered the man a commission under him. And was refused. I know at least a part of my father admired the fact the man didn’t go against his principles, even if he disagreed with them.”
“So we save a bus—transport full of kids and show him our mind is made up?”
“Yes. No. At most we can get him to see there is more to you than a small woman who makes trouble, and show him I am better off with you on Karran than I am on Cularna. He won’t ever understand, but there is a chance we can gain his grudging agreement.”
“I’ve dealt with some people like that back on Earth,” Forrest said, his tone somber. “My grandparents, actually. Luckily, Mom and Dad didn’t need their approval to get married.”
This was new to Blue.
As far as she knew, Sheila had a great relationship with Forrest’s grandparents.
“They started to come around after I was born and mom moved home. They still don’t like my dad, but they tolerate him when he comes around. Hell, grandma even makes a point of baking his favorite lemon cake.”
“The power of politeness,” Blue said, paraphrasing something her father once told her.
“That… is not a bad idea,” Felix mused. “At least with my mother. Who does have tremendous influence over my father.”
Beast stomped his hoof and snapped at a young man in front of them who had failed to move forward when the rest of the line did.
“If we’re going with the power of politeness, we need to leave Beast,” Levi said. The demon-mount turned and glared at the Prizzoli.
“Hush,” Blue told them both. “He’s coming.”
“Siblings?” Forrest asked, bringing them back on topic.
“Five, all older.”
“Yeah, you’ve told us that.” He rolled his eyes. “I mean, what about them? Will they help us, or are they, umm, stubborn like your dad?”
“Avery might. She’s always been the most free-spirited, and the only one who went into a different guild. An artist, actually. She’ll like you, Forrest. Her husband is a jeweler. The others… Merrick, the oldest, is the most like dad. Garret will follow Avery’s lead. Catherine and Leigh are… protective.”
“Because you’re the baby,” Blue teased. This was good. They’d all been so busy preparing for the visit, they’d forgotten to grill Felix about the details of the family. Foolish, and not an oversight to make again.
He shrugged. “Older sisters.” His tone was exasperated but he wore a soft smile.
“You miss them.”
“I do. But you know why…”
She did. She didn’t know if he’d told the others everything that happened with Portia and his family, but she knew why he avoided going home. “Maybe we can ask them to come visit. If this one doesn’t end in total disaster, I mean.”
“I would like that very much, pet.”
She didn’t protest the name this time. She looked over at Mo’ata and Levi. “You two are awful quiet.” Duri hovered beside them all, the watchful shadow, but she didn’t expect him to have much input. He was her guard and Trevon’s eyes and ears. He only spoke up when he thought she was in danger. Or an angry mess in the transport.
“There is not much to say, shopa, that has not already been said. Once we are there we will need to see what can be done. I will take Felix’s lead on this.”
“Same here,” Levi said. “As you know, I do not really understand family like this. But, I have studied Cularnian culture for my duties. I will do whatever is needed.”
“What—“ Blue started when a green-robed worker stepped forward.
“Please step into the space outlined in green.” The monotone voice told Blue just how long this guy’s day had been and it was only ten in the morning.
She herded the various animals into place while the guys picked up the luggage. It was a tight fit, but none of them minded being close.
“Ready?” The portal worker asked.
Blue straightened and tried to empty her mind. This was the first time since she’d gained some skill that she’d been able to directly observe another portal worker in action. It would be a great opportunity if she could get a sense of what the worker did, and a sense of the space-length for Cularna…
The vibrations that weren’t vibrations began. In an instant they morphed from one space to another. The portal worker’s efficiency was astounding.
That was what she needed to achieve before leaving the Ministry.
Filing away the knowledge of those particular areas’ space-lengths, Blue blinked as she stared at a different portal worker clad in the same green robes. She stood in a cavernous grey room an exact match to the one they’d just left, except for the golden tinge to the light that filtered through the clerestory windows.
Just like that I’m in another world. She bounced on her toes for a half second before her stomach tightened and her hands trembled. Her vision tilted and… it wasn’t her. Her demon-mount rolled his eyes and tossed his head as Blue reached for his reins. They slipped from her grip.
“Shhh. You’re fine. It’s done. We’re here.” One more attempt and she caught the waving strips of corded leather. His dark coat rippled as his muscles twitched, and his ears swiveled back and forth while his tail swished.
Keeping her attention on her Beast, she ignored the murmurs and shuffling around her. From the corner of her eye she caught Felix huddled together with a man nearly as big as he. This one was in armor, with a white stripe across one shoulder. She searched through the jumble of information that her mind had become. An ensign in their Navy, which was a branch in the Mercenary Guild and not a separate entity. They operated shuttles and warships currently used as escorts for various merchant ships. That division was not nearly as large as the Infantry Division, due to the simple fact that there were exactly two planets close enough to Cularna to make space-trade viable: Martika, and a small moon named Diori, which orbited a planet around the secondary star of the Martikan/Cularna star system…
And I now know more about stars and planets than I ever have, which still isn’t much. When Felix commented that the Alliance and Karran didn’t put much emphasis on space travel, as they had the portals, he wasn’t exaggerating. There was almost no development throughout the Alliance on that front, except for what Cularna and Martika used for trading, and even that was a token effort. It was more of a mild rebellion against the monopoly the Ministry had on all trade than a valid method of travel. It took months, and in the case of Diori a little over a year, to make a round trip. Though the fabrics of Diori did fetch a high price…
Beast snorted and nudged her shoulder. He stood straight, ears forward, and wore his what-are-you-doing-silly-human expression.
“Well, if you’re ready, I guess we should go,” she told him.
He snorted again.
Keeping his reins tight in her grip, she turned her attention to the rest of her surrounds. Forrest had taken a spot beside her, both cubs’ leashes looped over his wrist. Their silver-blue eyes were locked on a scene unfolding to the left, bloody anticipation at a simmer. What now? She turned.
Mo’ata and Levi stood in front of the portal worker, arms crossed. The worker glared.
“I need you to move off the receiving platform. Now.”
“And I told you,” Mo’ata stated, “that it is permissible to allow a nervous mount to calm. It is in the regulations.”
The worker rolled his eyes and flicked a hard look in her direction. At her, not Beast. What had she done? Who was this guy? Some other asshole from Firik or South Tremmir? Blaine should fit right in with the portal workers, if he even makes it that far.
Duri glared back at him.
“We’re ready,” she rushed out. Sometimes the fight was worth it. And sometimes you just moved on because you had more important things to deal with than some small-minded chuka who looked way too ready to throw around his authority.
Not to mention the hassle if the cub-babies decided it would be fun to go on a rampage on a new planet.
Felix turned, took in the scene, and grinned. Gesturing to the ensign to wait, he strode for Mo’ata and Levi. Then he leaned forward and whispered in the portal worker’s ear. The man went pale and backed up a step. The grin never left Felix’s face.
“How much you wanna bet Felix just told that jerk who he really is?” Forrest whispered, handing her the piquets’ leashes.
“No bet.”
The three men returned to the them and the small mound of luggage.
“Shuttle is waiting,” Felix said. “Not the ride on a spaceship I promised you, pet, but close. Father sent one of the command shuttles allocated for his personal use, so we’re riding in comfort.”
“Is that a good sign?”
Felix shrugged. “That’s Father. He
could be welcoming us, or upholding his image. Or both.” He flicked a hand at Beast. “And other than a cargo shuttle, it’s the only one available that could accommodate the mount.”
Oh. Well, that’s promising. He’s at least not making this hard for us. Not yet.
They headed out of the arrivals area, the guys once more carrying the luggage while Blue wrangled animals and the ensign kept pace a few steps behind them all. Concrete quickly turned to mellow white walls and dark stone flooring. Pale light filtered in from… somewhere. The ceilings were translucent and acted as one big diffuser. Every few yards were windows that looked out on different landscapes…
No, not windows. Screens. Very, very good screens. The ones on Earth never fooled anyone.
Others in the corridor passed them on the right. Most barely spared their group a glance, if that. Many held the reins of pouma mounts, and a few led animals that appeared to be a cross between a bear and a dog, but with six legs. Beast balked briefly when they came across the first one, but soon settled when it passed them by without so much as an eye flick in their direction.
“Gimou. Distant cousins of the grimal, they are used as guard animals,” Felix explained. “They are no threat, unless we make a move on their charges.”
“Good to know,” she murmured, and filed away this new piece of information.
Two more turns and the corridor opened up into a concourse teeming with people of all different colors and sizes, animals, automated walks and hovering carts and mini-shuttles. Blinking displays, lustrous surfaces, and every imaginable garb met her gaze wherever she looked. The ceiling rose in a windowed dome, golden light filtering over the entire scene.
“Now this is more like what I imagined the future to look like,” Forrest said from beside her, his voice hushed in awe.
“Shit on a stick, this is amazing.”
“This is Trabum, Ushurant Region. The hub of trade for Cularna. There are a few other stations around the planet, but this is the main one,” Levi told them.
“Been brushing up?” Blue asked.
He shrugged. “It seemed the smart thing to do.”
Wild is the Blue Page 16